‘This has to be a line in the sand’ - Barrow

Graham Barrow

Paul Kendrick

Published:22:00Wednesday 05 April 2017

Graham Barrow insists the midweek horror show at Ipswich has to be a ‘line in the sand for wounded Wigan Athletic.

Latics remain seven points adrift of safety but now have only six games to save themselves after the 3-0 drubbing by struggling Ipswich, ahead of Saturday’s visit of already-relegated Rotherham and next Thursday’s home game against nothing-to-play-for Barnsley.

With three of the last four matches against promotion-chasing Brighton, Reading and Leeds, anything other than maximum points from the next two games would surely spell curtains for Latics.

And interim boss Barrow admits the time for excuses has long-since disappeared.

“This has to be a line in the sand,” the Latics interim boss acknowledged.

“We’ve certainly not given up the ghost, because the table wasn’t any worse after the midweek matches.

“I just want more responsibility from the players.

“I’m the third one manager now who’s been in charge of this group this season.

“They couldn’t do it Gary Caldwell’s way, and they couldn’t do it Warren Joyce’s way.

“I’d like to think I’m somewhere in between, and we’ve shown signs (against Aston Villa and Newcastle) we can do it my way.